Plural of Modesty.—A speaker in referring to himself may use the first person plural as a modest form of statement. In prose, of an author: ἔννοιά ποθ' ἡμῖν ἐγένετοthe reflection once occurred to meX.C. 1.1.1. In tragedy, often with interchange of plural and singular: εἰ κωλυ_όμεσθα μὴ μαθεῖν ἃ βούλομαιif I (Creusa) am prevented from learning what I wishE.Ion 391, ἱκετεύομεν ἀμφὶ σὰ_ν γενειάδα . . . προσπίτνωνI entreat thee, as I grasp thy beardE.H. F. 1206. See cross1009.